A Lecture with Professor Manuela Wagner of the University of Conneticut.

Global challenges highlight the urgency of preparing students to collaborate across cultures and develop creative responses to complex problems, and current national and international initiatives increasingly call for the meaningful integration of intercultural communication in language education and across the curriculum. This presentation explores how language education and interdisciplinary teaching can cultivate critical thinking and support learners’ engagement w20ith the world as intercultural citizens. Building on scholarship in intercultural citizenship and social justice, Prof. Wagner examine interdisciplinary models of intercultural citizenship alongside emerging innovations, including the use of virtual reality, to support intercultural learning. Drawing on a range of projects and research, we address key questions about how educators can guide learners toward intercultural citizenship, equip students to engage with real-world issues, and sustain critical, justice-oriented approaches while navigating ongoing challenges in implementation.